Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) transmission techniques may be employed in a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) network. A DSLAM network provides a user, at a terminal or other endpoint, with the ability to transmit data to, and receive data from, an upstream source. A DSLAM network is typically designed to accommodate a variety of different types of data channels, such as, for example, a number of video channels as well as channels associated with user data, voice and gaming traffic. The endpoints of a DSLAM platform commonly access the network through modems, or gateways, at a residence or business. Endpoint devices may include, for example, televisions, computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), telephones or other types of communication terminals. A DSLAM network enables the simultaneous transmission of any of the available channels to and from a user in the network.
VoIP transmission specifically allows for the transmission of voice data, or packets, over the network through the use of a telephone, or similar device, at an endpoint of the DSLAM network. Since the network transmits a variety of different types of user traffic, as described above, the network should be enabled to distinguish the types of traffic from each other and recognize voice data from the other types of data handled by the network. The network should also properly route the voice data to a desired destination. Where these recognition and routing techniques take place in the network, affects the network's communication abilities.
In one conventional technique for VoIP transmission in a network, outgoing voice data is recognized and routed through the processing of the outgoing data in a custom home gateway. This type of approach is utilized by, for example, NTT Communications, Tokyo, Japan (NTT). In processing the voice data, the call is converted into a standard voice call in the custom gateway. This conversion is from the packet switched network, or data network, to the circuit switched network, or plain old telephone service (POTS) network.
However, the custom home gateway approach is a fixed, location dependent approach, which does not allow for customer mobility. Should a subscriber's location change, it would be necessary to download VoIP call set and service parameters (SPs) from the carrier to the handset. This is due to the fact that the recognition and routing techniques take place at individual home gateways. The custom gateway approach also fails to natively detect, prioritize and automatically route voice packets in the carrier network. Further, the NTT attempts are not compatible with standards-based broadband access networks. Finally, since many areas of the world provide networks in which the carrier does not typically own the individual home gateway, such as China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America, such areas would generally not find the custom home gateway useful.
Thus, a need remains for techniques that provide improved recognition and routing of VoIP transmissions in a digital networking system, which enable customer mobility, standards-based broadband access network compatibility, and network carrier and gateway independence.